IN SEASON I
t isn’t just mind and body that needs a detox in the New Year – it can be a great time to give the kitchen cupboards a spring clean too. Whether you’re a gatherer of obscure ingredients that you have good intentions of using but have just never gotten around to; or you have tiny quantities festering in dozens of bottles and packets at the back, you’ll thank us for our handy guide to the most useful store cupboard ingredients to hang on to. Keep these essentials stocked up throughout the year and you won’t go far wrong.
For the baking shelf...
A few essentials in this part of your kitchen will mean that should you stumble upon a recipe on a lazy Sunday afternoon, you will no longer be ill prepared to try it out. There are few things worse than really wanting to make a bakewell tart, but being out of a vital ingredient like the ground almonds. A good plain fl our is a given essential and can be used to thicken gravy or prepare any number of sauces that can be made from a roux; as well as being the main dry ingredient in millions of home baking recipes. Don’t get caught out on sugars either by keeping a steady stock of caster, light brown and muscovado sugar as most sweet recipes tend to call for one of the three.
Pastas and pulses...
It’s easy to fi ll the cupboard with a dozen types of pasta in a variety of shapes and sizes but the truth
is, you only really need two kinds; a good old penne and a linguine or spaghetti. Smaller pasta shapes like penne hold
OILS AND VINEGARS...
A good quality extra-virgin olive oil is every cook’s staple. Great for frying, marinades and dressings – its fl avoursome nature also makes it the perfect dipping oil. If you’re trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle in 2014 however, Somerset producer, Fussels rapeseed oil is the perfect alternative for frying. With 50 per cent less saturated fat than olive oil and high levels of omega 3, 6 and 9, rapeseed oil is the perfect product for setting healthier habits for the New Year. If you’re a fan of Indian and Chinese cooking then sesame oil is also a cupboard essential. Sesame oil has a very low burning point so works well with quick dishes such as stir fries. Balsamic vinegar is another great
ingredient to keep at the front of the pack. Add a third to two thirds olive oil for the perfect balsamic dressing or alternatively, use as part of a marinade for meat, for dipping or reduce to a syrup to eat with strawberries and ice cream come summer.
18 | THE WEST COUNTRY FOODLOVER
creamy or tomato-based sauces well whereas the longer types go perfectly with seafood or accompanied by lemon, parmesan and a glug of olive oil. Flat types of pasta such as lasagne are simple to make from scratch and will prevent your cupboards being clogged up with cumbersome boxes of lasagne sheets.
Pearl barley is a fantastic grain to keep in the cupboard. Useful for bulking out soups and stews as well as a great alternative to risotto rice, it can be stored for up to six months uncooked. Similarly, lentils are a great staple grain. Whilst puy lentils are a perfect salad ingredient, red split lentils are a useful way to bulk out a soup when autumn rolls around again or to prepare a deli- cious dhal.
TINNED GOODS...
A few tins of chopped tomatoes are a must. From homemade baked beans (for which you will also need haricot beans) to chilli con carne and salsa, chopped tomatoes present you with endless possi- bilities when it comes to speedy weeknight dinner fi xes. A tin or two of chickpeas will also go a long way, especially for quick fi x nibbles when you’re entertaining. Combine with olive oil, water, garlic, lemon and ground cumin to make delicious homemade hummus.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60